Loss and love
by Starlite1
Summary: Harry and Hermionie have to say goodbye to a very old friend-Ch2. Now up!!!!
1. Time to say goodbye

Disclaimer: I don't own them. I just bring them out to play once in a while. They belong to Jo Rowling, who is the absolute genius! My first H.P ff. So, PLEASE, R&R. Flames are welcome(But please, be nice!!!) This is dedicated to all the poor souls who have been inadvertently killed in the war. All we can do now is to pray that it all comes to an end quickly.  
  
Up the hill, the pair limped. Their robes were torn, their arms, legs and faces bloody and bruised. Their eyes were drooping, silhouetted by the dark circles which had developed over the past five years.  
  
Harry and Hermionie had been through a hell of a day.  
  
The war was not going well. Everyday, Voldemort's hold became stronger. More people were losing faith, and turning over to the dark side. More innocent people were being killed. And more often than not, they weren't even wizards.  
  
Hermionie gently turned the handle on the door to the safe house were she and Harry were living. They both prayed that it would stay safe for a little longer, but it was impossible to be certain.  
  
They both collapsed on the couch. "Harry, what are we going to do?" Hermionie asked the man sitting next to her. "I don't know. I guess we'll just keep the fight up for as long as we can." He sighed, "We've lost friends before, and we've always coped...." "Yes, but..." "We did our best. If anything had gone differently, than we may have lost even more. Come here." He said gently, holding his arms out to her. She crawled into them, comforted by the warmth that she found within his arms. For a time, they just sat there, remembering a good friend, whose life was finally over.  
  
Finally, Hermionie got up, and went to the first aid cupboard. She took out the bandages, herbs, and other paraphernalia. She limped back in, and began the tedious task of healing the wounds which they had sustained. Finally, she was down to just one wound. A massive gash which ran right down the side of Harry's leg. sighing, she pulled out her wand, and pointed it at Harry's leg. "ailatium repairo" she muttered under her breath. A bolt of gold came out of her wand, and hit his leg, gently repairing the wounded tissue. But even after she'd finished, the area around the wound was still swollen. Sighing, she reverted to binding it. At least that would remove some of his discomfort. She then moved onto her own wounds, which were not nearly as bad as the ones that Harry had taken. Finally, she went to the fridge, and got out a couple of T.V dinners for them.  
  
After cooking them in the microwave, they sat down in front of the television set. The news spoke of conflict in the muggle world as well. Pictures of nuclear bombs and missiles were flashed over the screen, "It seems that there's no escape." Hermionie said, before standing up, and marching upstairs.  
  
Harry entered their bedroom, to hear Hermionie showering in their bathroom. He went to the door of the bathroom, and was swamped by a wave of steam. "You forgot to turn on the fan!" he called over the gushing water. "no, I didn't!" Hermionie called back. Sighing, Harry went back out into the main part of their bedroom. He sat, thinking. He knew that if it wasn't for his fiancée, he'd probably go back to the muggle world. And yet he stayed. He knew that he couldn't leave her. He slowly mulled the thoughts over in his head, until he was disturbed by a tapping at the window.  
  
It was Hedwig. With a note from Sirius;  
Dear Harry and Hermionie, This is to let you know that the funeral will be held tomorrow at midday. It's a service at the school, followed by a private service, with only his inner circle of friends. I heard that you had a nasty encounter with some Death eaters today. I hope you're all right.  
  
Snuffles.  
  
Harry sighed after reading the letter through once again. Harry heard Hermionie come up behind him. Silently, he handed the note to her. As she read, ears came into her eyes, and slid silently down her flushed face. Harry put a protective arm around her.  
  
Dressed in black, the pair apparated near Hogsmede station, at half past eleven. Shivering, they drew their black cloaks around themselves. Overhead, black clouds rolled across the sky menacingly, as if threatening to spill it's contents down upon their heads. Together, they made their way up to the school. Right along the front of the school were the scorch marks from the battle which had taken place here barely a week ago..... As they walked up the path, a great black dog came to walk beside them. The trio was then joined by a tabby cat with black, spectacle-like markings round it's eyes. Slowly, the quartet continued their stately march up the path towards the school. Then, Remus Lupin joined the party, as they walked on. Then a ghostly shape joined them. Harry couldn't be sure if he could believe his eyes. "Prongs..." he whispered in awe. The others of the group turned at the name. From their expressions, Harry could tell that he wasn't imagining it.  
  
Beside them, a shadowy image of a great stag walked, his head held proud and tall. His hooves made neither sound nor print in the cold snow. And still they walked. It was with determination. Their footprints were behind them in the snow. As they passed Hagrid's hut, he came out, closely followed by Fang, and joined the group, towering above them all. They passed the Whomping willow, with the emotions of memories showing on all the faces. At the foot of the stairs, Ronald Weasly joined them, his freckles and carrot-red hair standing out prominently against his pale skin. As one, they walked up the stairs into the Entrance Hall, and through into the Great Hall. They passed the rows of students, all wearing their formal black dress robes, customary since the start of the war.  
  
After what seemed an eternity to the group, they finally reached the front of the hall. Laying there, in a coffin of the purest white was..... Albus Dumbledore. He looked peaceful, and his face showed no sign of the hell that he had endured, and had, ultimately, lead to his death. He had lived for one hundred and sixty years. Maybe he had just given up the fight. Even though he had defeated some of the most evil wizards of all time.  
  
Hermionie, Harry and Ron all stood together, as the service was conducted. Abut the words sounded as if they were coming from a far off place.  
  
When the euology had been read, Harry, Hermionie, Ron, Remus, Hagrid, and McGonagall took their places around the coffin. Gently, they lifted the coffin, and began the procession, with the stag and Sirius leading. Fang walked at the rear. They filed past the students, whom had all lined up along the path to the small graveyard, just on the edge on Hogsmede. Many students placed flowers on the coffin.  
  
It was a slow march to the cemetery. They finally reached the gates, which had great winged boars on them, just like the ones at the entrance to the school itself. It was up in a secluded corner, under a giant oak tree where Dumbledore was to be buried. The small party gathered around, as they lowered the casket into the ground. Each threw in a rose, remembering all the memories of the great man. After a while, they began to drift away, ready to go their separate ways. All except for Ron, Harry and Hermionie. They stayed behind, for reasons unknown even them. From the sky, large snowflakes gently began to drift down from the sky.  
  
It was almost a whisper, they barely noticed it at first. Then, the gentle song of the phoenix came through the stillness of the air. And standing against the blinding white of the snow, was the flame that was Fawkes. He gently decended, and sat upon the headstone, and cried. A long, mournful note which shook right through to the very core of their souls. The ghostly stag reared up at the sound. As his feet touched the ground, he bowed his head, before becoming blurry, and disappearing into the haze. Once again, Prongs had rode.  
  
That night, Hermionie sat on the bed. From the door, Harry saw that she was lost in thought. He was just about to go back out, when she lifted one had and beckoned him to her. Almost as soon as he had sat down next to her, she had grabbed him in a fierce embrace. Gently, he returned it. He knew what she was thinking. Life was too short, and could end so suddenly. Dumbledore's death had reminded her of that. To them, he had always seemed immortal, as much a part of their world as the ground beneath their feet. "I don't think I could live without you, y'know?" she whispered in his ear. He smiled in return, "I don't really want to find out." For a moment in time, it was just them. They were able to put all the troubles of the world out of their minds, and be together.  
  
The dawn light gently peeked over the horizon. It was the start of a new day, and a new battle. They would keep up the fight. It was the only way. 


	2. Remeber me

Loss and love, chapter two.  
  
WARNING, THIS CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX!!!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: Okay just your usual disclaimer. Harry don't belong to me. He belongs to a single mum who just happens to be the richest woman in Britain, and also has made one of the bigg3est jumps in pay in history (she went from $496 AUS a week, to earning around that much a second, on some of her better days!)  
  
Oh well, On with the story!  
  
Dawn broke, golden and new. The sun peeked itself over the horizon, it's merry rays gently touching the delicate droplets of water on the moor. The light diffused in the fog that rose up, tendrils stretching up to greet the day.  
  
The light shone through the cracked glass of the bedroom window. The light fell upon the face of a sleeping woman, whose dark circles under her eyes were even more pronounced than ever. Her brown hair framed her weary face, which was pale and withdrawn.  
  
But she had not looked like this before. Once upon a time, she had been a real beauty, her eyes not dull from the hells which she had endured. Her face had been full, her dark brown eyes lively. There had been a time when her skin had been perfect. Now, it was covered in scars, remanants of the hell from which she had fought, tooth and claw. Her hands were callused and earth worn, not as supple as they had once been.  
  
He sighed from where he watched her. She had suffered so much. But there had been almost nothing that he could have done to stop her.  
  
Sighing, he turned away, and went back down into their cramped kitchen. He pulled out pans, and put on the coffee. He knew that she soon would wake, after smelling the bacon cooking. He winced as he turned the wrong way for a pan, sending a searing pain along his side. He shrugged it off,  
  
"Good morning!" came a yawn from the door. Harry turned round to see Hermionie standing in the doorway, her hair tousled, "So what's for breakfast?" "Your favorite. Bacon, eggs and sausages." Harry said, leaning over, and placing a kiss on her head. "And why is that, Mr. Potter?" she said sleepily. He sighed, turning back to the bacon, "Because it's Dumbledore's wake today. At the leaky cauldron. We have to be there at twelve-thirty."  
  
Immediately, Hermionie snapped to full consciousness, "Now you tell me! We'd better move soon if we're going to get there in time!" "Well, can we at least have some breakfast first?" Harry said plaintively. Hermionie laughed.  
  
It took a while for them to get there by muggle means. There was no way that they could risk magic. Voldemort was keeping too much of a vigil for them. As they sat in a traffic jam on the motorway, both were reflecting on what was awaiting them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~  
  
Together, they walked along a crowded street in the middle of London. As they came around the corner, they spotted a dingy pub between a glitzy record shop, which proclaimed it's twenty-fifth anniversary in bright, illuminated letters, and a tired old bookshop. They darted through the crowd, and into the pub, under the sign that was looking even more worn than ever; and into the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
At a table over in the corner sat the party; Minerva McGonnogal, Hagrid and Madame Maxime, Remus Lupin, "Mad-eye" Moody, and a large portion of the Weasly family. Bill had his wife Fleur with him, and she was looking a lot worse for wear. Her hair wasn't as silvery as it had been when Harry had first met her well over seven years ago. Over in the corner sat Tonks, her hair a mass of ebony curls around her face. And there, sitting next to her was Sirius.  
  
Harry and Hermionie took their seats next to Ron, who gave them a fleeting smile before Sirius stood up. "Today," he began, "We are here to honor the 160 years of life of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. We all knew the man, some of us better than others. But that doesn't matter. "We all knew that Dumbledore has done enough to satisfy ten lifetimes within the period that was his lifetime. He was a person who would help out anyone. He believed that it didn't matter what you past was. It was what you did in the future that was important.  
  
"So I ask you all to raise your glasses now, to the memory of a great man, who gave his life in the fight for what he believed in. TO ALBUS!!!" He shouted.  
  
"TO ALBUS!!!" the entire bar roared back. Everyone had lifted their glasses in salute. Even tom, the wrinkled old barman raised a rather hastily filled glass.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Sirius sat back down next to Tonks, who looked at him in concern, "What's up Sirius?" She asked in concern. "I was just thinking about how crazy this is. I was dead, and here I am, saying the obituary of one of the main witnesses of my death!" he chuckled dryly, "Don't you think that that's ironic?" Rather nervously, Harry spoke, "What was it like when...-when you died?" Sirius took in a deep, shuddering breath, "I can't begin to describe it. But it was rather a shock to my system. When I stumbled through that veil, it was like being born in reverse. Everything seemed to go in slo3w motion.  
  
After that, I was in this strange....place. There was nothing but fog. But still I saw people wandering everywhere, lost and searching. It was rather frightening. And then I just happened to see Lilly and James. When they finally saw me, they came over. I just didn't want to understand it. They tried to get through to me. But I just couldn't take it. It seemed like an eternity there, with every second seeming to last for a lifetime. And then, just as I felt that I was ready to resign myself to that kind of.....existence? No, wrong word.... I was pulled back. It felt like I was turned inside out, and then outside in. It was crazy. And then I found myself in the glare of that...thing." He finally finished his tale. "So how about Dumbledore?" Hermionie finally said in a unusually high voice. "I think that he'll be grateful for being there. And your parents, harry, said that they were proud of you, whatever has come to pass for you. They wished that they could see you. They really did....."  
  
The rest of the evening passed in idle chit-chat, with all present consuming copious amounts of drink, trying to numb the pains which they were all feeling.  
  
Not that it did much good. 


End file.
